GM Thinks Diesel’s Reputation Can Recover
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Despite selling its European operations to PSA Groupe, which included factories, design centers and more, General Motors did not include its Turin, Italy, powertrain facility.
GM Powertrain Torino may actually play an integral part of the automaker’s future because GM believes diesel’s reputation can, and will, recover. The Italian facility focuses exclusively on diesel engines and its most recently responsible for the 3.0-liter inline-six LM2 Duramax diesel engine that will grace the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado.
The 3.0-liter inline-six diesel is the first engine built on GM’s new diesel engine architecture developed in Italy. It also follows the modular Cylinder Set Strategy, which first debuted in gasoline engines.
“We have an important strategy around diesel. We are working to keep [U.S. sales] increasing,” Pierpaolo Antonioli, head of GM’s Turin development center, said told Automotive News Europe in a Saturday report.
Eventually, the Turin facility will likely birth a replacement for the four-cylinder diesel engines found in the Chevrolet Cruze, Equinox and other vehicles. After the Opel/Vauxhall sale, GM now purchases the engine from PSA Groupe for its global cars.
Diesel’s image has grown dirty following the Volkswagen Group scandal in 2015. Following VW, other European makes have been accused of cheating emissions regulations, including Opel, owned by GM at the time. In the U.S., GM will bank on diesel to help propel its average fuel economy standards.
“In my opinion, its reputation can be recovered,” Antonioli added.
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How many current or ex-VW diesel owners who cannot buy a new VW diesel know about the Cruze diesel? Why is GM not targeting these diesel fans?
If GM plans to engineer new passenger car diesels, they had better start promoting what they currently offer, to give some momentum to this sector of the market.
Bosch said it had developed an exhaust system for diesel engines by superheating the catalytic converter to 500F which would reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) to 13 milligrams per kilometer, well below the current legal limit of 168 milligrams and a limit of 120 milligrams as of 2020; if General Motors were to license this technology and incorporate it into every diesel powered vehicle.. one has to think diesel powered vehicles could bounce back.
For some of us the future is electric, the fact GM keeps pushing diesels is pushing me away from them as a brand in general. I was aGM die hard for many years but I think that is coming to and end, at least for myself.
Chevrolet Bolt BEV. Buick Encore BEV( Coming), Chevrolet Blazer BEV( Coming), NEW gen batteries/New chassis batteries design. 2020-2021. Hydrogen fuel cells 2020, Gm is very committed. There just not putting there eggs all in one basket.
Wake me up when they make an EV Or EREV Colorado.
Good to develop Diesel engine but they should have a higher output than the competition and a variety of engines. A 1.4 , a 1.6, a 2.0 , a 2.5 four cylinders and a V6, V8 for cars ans SUV’s.